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Regular City Council Meeting Monday, September 9,2013 Page 14 cilmember Willmus opined that this levy as proposed served to keep pace with in- flation; and stated that he would not support further increases as proposed with this motion. Councilmember McGehee spoke in support of the motion, stating that she be- lieved Councilmember Willmus was incorrect in his assessment of reserve funds. Councilmember McGehee opined that, even though the City Council had a policy for reserves, they were insufficient creating the need to bond for a new fire sta- tion. Councilmember McGehee further stated that this lack of planning and re- serves also created the need for $200,000 in the CIP for the skating center as well as nothing in reserve for a new club house at the golf course. If the City had funded its Park Improvement Program (PIP) sufficiently in that past, Coun- cilmember McGehee opined that the City would probably not be facing this debt service now, but could have maintained the City's park system. With at least two (2) members of the current City Council having chosen to fund for these items without a public referendum, Councilmember McGehee opined that this had cre- ated the current need for paying this debt service. In her personal review of re- serve fund policies several years ago, Councilmember McGehee stated that she had found all but one fund to be in line with the recommendations of the State Auditor's Office. With that excess in the Recycling Fund, Councilmember McGehee opined that she had no problem using those reserves; but not to contin- ue to underfund the CIP. Referencing a comment made by Mayor Roe related to the City always bonding for buildings, Councilmember McGehee opined that this would not be necessary if funding was set aside. Councilmember Willmus asked staff to provide additional information on total re- serves versus specific reserve levels. Finance Director Miller advised that previous information provided to the City Council was as of December 31, 2012, opining that not much had changed over the last nine (9) months, estimating the total City reserve level between $26 to $27 million. Councilmember Willmus indicated that showed that the current reserves totaled $10 million above the current levy. Mayor Roe clarified that the reserve levels to- taled about$8 million above the $18 million levy, not $10 million, of the $18 mil- lion levy, there was $8 million in reserves, with Councilmember Willmus opining that this resulted in some room to work with those reserve accounts. Councilmember Laliberte expressed her appreciation for this discussion; stating that she would not support the motion, opining that it would be dishonest of her to take $200,000 and push it toward the tax levy, which she could probably not sup- port as proposed. Councilmember Laliberte opined that the City Council should support additional funding of the CIP..